Visions of the Sacred

Art is inherently a spiritual endeavor because the creative impulse and the artist's vision are both parts of an ineffable and mysterious process. And while no two artists work in exactly the same way-a fact that further mystifies anyone attempting to assess how vision is translated into sensible forms-there are some worthwhile generalizations we can derive from studying how different artists pursue their craft. For me, one useful notion is to view the artists among us as kinesthetic receptors for society, indicating how we are doing, how we got here, and, most important of all, where we are likely to end up. This is the beauty of Kim MacQueen's attentive and enlightening exploration into the work and methods of twelve Bahá'í artists. She allows us to examine how a shared spiritual inspiration can be translated into varied artistic forms and imaginative modes. In this study, she demonstrates that the creative impulse, even if drawing on the same essential source-the coherent framework of reality that the Bahá'í Faith provides-produces an array of artistic responses, like the array of colors that emanate from a prism by a single beam of light. MacQueen's rigorous labor of love and dedication thus proves a wonderful resource that enables us to appreciate how each artist discovers a form and mode that bespeaks how the revealed Word penetrates the heart and is reflected back to the rest of us. Her amazing journey into the minds and hearts of the Bahá'í artists represented in this collection is, first and foremost, an existential delight. - John S. Hatcher, Professor Emeritus, University of South Florida In Visions of the Sacred: Conversations with Bahá'í Artists, Kim MacQueen has brought a scholarly exploration together with a deeply personal journey which has resulted in confirming the power, importance and core connection between art and spirituality. I found this book to be a treasure trove of inspiration, insights, and wisdom. The Bahá'í Faith and the creative process of twelve artists constitute the lens through which she examines this connection as a skillful, wise, curious, and patient guide. As a qualitative researcher and artist myself, I found that the book helped me develop a deeper appreciation of how the creative process, although essentially and deeply mysterious, does have common threads and themes. In the end, this rich work reminds us all that the creative process is essential for us to ever transform ourselves, our communities, and the world at large. - Michael Brant DeMaria, Ph.D. Psychologist and Author